CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — An Ohio truck driver has been arrested for attempted murder after allegedly shooting at another tractor trailer on the New York State Thruway.
According to a press release, on July 29 the Bureau of Criminal Investigation out of SP Buffalo arrested Dylan J. Cottingham, 26 of Sullivan, Ohio for Attempted Murder, Criminal Possession of a Weapon/2nd degree, Reckless Endangerment/1st degree, Criminal Mischief/3rd degree and Menacing/2nd degree.
“Troopers out of SP Buffalo responded to a shots fired at an occupied tractor trailer while traveling on the I-90 westbound before exit 50,” the New York State Police said. “Troopers were dispatched to the area and while enroute they were notified of a second incident of a hit-and-run side swipe collision of a passenger car involving a tractor trailer suspected in the shooting on the I-90. NYSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit located and stopped the tractor trailer believed to be the vehicle involved in the shooting and the hit-and-run on Union Road near Walden Avenue in the town of Cheektowaga. The operator, Dylan J. Cottingham was taken into custody and a search warrant was obtained for his tractor trailer. After searching Cottingham’s vehicle, a semi-automatic .45 caliber handgun and multiple magazines were located.”
New York State Troopers out of Clarence received a report of shots fired into a tractor trailer driving west on the I-90 before exit 50. The shots entered the truck and were very close to the 10-year-old child asleep in the sleeper cab of the tractor trailer, according to police.
As troopers were responding to the first incident, they were alerted another call of a hit-and-run believed to have involved the same tractor trailer involved in the shots fired call.
Police pulled over the tractor trailer and arrested the driver.
Cottingham was driving a tractor trailer when this all unfolded, noted police.
According to police, they found a semi-automatic .45 caliber handgun and multiple magazines in Cottingham’s truck. Cottingham has a pistol permit for Ohio, notes police. He is currently being held at the Erie County Holding Center with no bail.
Information on the name of trucking company has not been released.
The NYSP Forensic Identification Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office assisted in this investigation.
If you have information regarding the incident, contact the NYSP.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
